Champions of Verideen

The Test

3

OCT/13

The morning arrives and the group is greeted and instructed to meet in the small conference hall on the west end of the castle. There they are given breakfast and instructed to wait for Corion. Corion arrives with a human male in black armor/clothes and long black leather gloves (up to his elbow), brown eyes, and whose skin is an odd reddish tint as it he had taken in too much sun. The human leaves and Corion explains the “test”. It will utilize magical illusions in the same manner that the minotaur trials use, so that the 3 high generals can inspect their abilities and bless off on this plan to the king. If they fail or if the generals are not convinced, Asteroth will be sent on his way, Ranthier and Krauser will return to their studies which they have been excused from currently, and Ca’el will be sent to the Labrynth to serve out his life sentence (on a positive note he will be given the opportunity to choose death). Should they succeed, the plan will be to have Ca’el impersonate the king, and the other three to be dressed as guards. The rest of the guards are aware of this plan, and they will begin to spread around information that they are new and untested and since this is just a mostly ceremonial festival, this is their first duty assignment. This will entice the rogues to come out and when they attempt to kill the king, the real guard will be waiting behind the scenes to capture them.

They are brought into a courtyard with high walls and thousands of empty seats. There is a sectioned off area for what they assume would be VIPs, and here are the three Generals of the Kings Army, introduced as General Corion Ventross High Wizard, General Kurzahn Dragonborn Infantry Division, and General Drāgen Von Drake Naval Division and Senior Court Advisor to the King. Kurzahn yells out for the rest of the group to stand behind Krauser if they get scared, laughing. Corion seems in a good mood. Drāgen seems bored and annoyed and his eyes appear from that distance to be almost completely black. The fight begins by fighting elven 8 archers and 6 humans carrying clubs. All miss the group, and begin to die immediately without any issues. Before the fight ends, Kurzahn screams out in a rage that this test is ludicrous and is no way for his son to test his mettle. He ends the fight and sends a runner away. The three generals begin a heated discussion out of ear shot. After a short time, someone bangs 3 times on the courtyard door. Kurzahn turns towards the group and says “finally, now you can show off Krauser”. The door is opened and two very large twin humans walk in, 6 feet tall, over 200 pounds of pure muscle. Each is holding a leash with two large dogs that resemble wolves, snarling and barking like mad. The first is holding the runner by his belt and tosses him towards the VIP stand. The runner gets up and scurries off to hide. Kurzahn screams out, “I give to you the Banger Brothers, wards of transporting criminals to the Labrynth, and instructors from the school on swordplay and physical fitness. Now boys, don’t hold back now, we want to see what these young men are truly capable of. The fight starts and stops when I ring this gong. Krauser, you’re going to have to put aside those crazy thoughts of travel and focus on being the dragonborn fighter you were born to be.” The group begins combat with the Banger Brothers, and after quite the battle, emerge victorious. Corion and Kurzahn are very pleased, but Drāgen is visibly upset and storms off. Corion explains that Drāgen does not approve of the plan to impersonate the king. The king then arrives, and the resemblance to Ca’el cannot be ignored. The king congratulates them in person and gives them each 50 GP to spend in the city and given the day off. They are to reconvene tonight at sundown to get final instructions and outfits/costumes. He says he is very confident in this plan but is clearly distracted and leaves quickly to attend to his son.